An enclosed blast room gives you the control you want over your production. Installing a purpose-designed facility that is built specifically for your workshop ensures your products have consistency of finish quality, and are completed within a predictable time frame. All aspects of the abrasive blasting equipment, the ventilation and handling systems have been designed to provide continuous low-maintenance and long-lasting operation. Supply only, assisted-install or turn-key solutions.

Water tank maintenance

September last year, the City of Dayton in Ohio awarded a maintenance project of two very large (two million gallon) multi-leg elevated water tanks to a local painting contractor.

The tanks are supported by a large central riser column, and 12 legs around the circumference. These tanks are completely contained with tarps that can be raised or lowered in high wind conditions.

Access is via swing stages and catwalk platforms that are suspended between the columns. The 15-year-old tanks have a total surface area of 73,000 square feet (or 6,782 square metres) with a 25-30mm intact coating.

Internal surface area is 28,000 square feet (2,601 square metres) while external is 45,000 square feet (4,181 square metres). The contractor performed abrasive blasting on the first tank using Coal Slag with the following results:

Abrasive consumption

380 tonnes

Total man-hours

1,728 hours

Nozzle used

6 to 7 for 12 hours per day

Clean-up

670 man-hours.
Disposal coast $22,000

Down time

Refilling pot 2-3 times per day

For the second tank which had a much thicker costing than the first, recommended a combination of GMA SpeedBlast and two high production bulk blaster each equipped with a 1,600cfm compressor. The results were:

Abrasive consumption

220 tonnes

Total man-hours

1350 hours

Nozzles used

5 to 6.
10 hours per day.

Clean-up

390 man-hours, disposal cost $0, as product was returned Free of Charge for beneficial reuse

Down time

Minimal.
Reloading only once a day compared to two to three times previously.

The foreman was amazed with the excellent visibility after the blasting session.

I can work shorter days as I don’t have to stop to let the dust clear to see what we are doing! There is basically nothing to clean up!

The contractor was happy with a savings of 22% on the total project cost over the previous tank. Moreover, he was able to move the equipment on a week ahead of schedule to start the next project.